Radiology Industry with the Impact of COVID

Across the radiology industry, a number of different techniques are being developed to help radiologists cope with overburdened departments and burnout. Intelerad Medical Systems, in mid-2021, provided national radiology group Strategic Radiology with cloud-based imaging software to help streamline workflow for its 1,300 members. Meanwhile, GE Healthcare has introduced a new piece of radiology hardware in the form of Definium Tempo, an overhead digital X-ray device that is meant as a personal assistant to radiologists.

The common theme with these new solutions is addressing overworked and overburdened radiologists in the midst of the pandemic. In May of 2021, the Association of University Radiologists held an academic-industry discussion that involved 16 radiologists and 14 industry leaders, each one from a different society or major company. Among themselves, they agreed that the pressure of the pandemic had highlighted the need for radiologists to address the mental health of radiologists as well as reckon with issues in patient accessibility and supply chain disruptions, with the hope that the industry will see greater responsibility for the challenges it faces from those who can address them.

Acute PE Treatments and Symptoms

Acute pulmonary embolism is described as a blockage of one or more pulmonary arteries. The condition can develop as a result of accumulated blood clots in the body that travel to the lungs. Deep vein thrombosis blood clots typically develop in the thigh or pelvis and can block the arteries, leaving them without any way to receive blood until they eventually die. Blockages can also result from the fat of the marrow or tumors.

Depending on the size of the blood clots and blockage, symptoms of acute pulmonary embolism can include chest pain, shortness of breath, and coughs that can produce blood. Acute pulmonary embolism can be diagnosed through radiologic and imaging studies. Treatments for acute pulmonary embolism include anticoagulants, blood thinning medications, or clot removal.

Diagnosing a Brain Tumor with MRI

Brain tumors are abnormal growths in the brain. These tumors may originate in the brain or spread to the brain as a result of cancer at a different site in the body. Generally, a brain tumor may present with symptoms that can be linked to the affected part of the brain, tumor growth rate, or tumor size. Common symptoms include speech difficulties, poor coordination, hearing problems, impaired vision, and frequent headaches that progressively worsen. Today, many tests are available for diagnosing brain tumors, which can also help doctors determine the tumor type, size, and whether the tumor has spread to other parts of the body.

Often, diagnosing a brain tumor starts with an MRI of the patient's brain. Magnetic resonance imaging produces detailed images of the patient's brain, from which doctors can get important details such as the tumor's size or likeliness to spread. It can also help doctors determine how much blood is reaching the tumor, which is helpful for predicting how well certain treatments will work. An additional test is done to confirm the tumor type - this often requires tissue samples that may be collected during surgery or biopsy for further analysis to complete the diagnosis.